Former AEW World Champion Darby Allin recently shut the door on a singles match with Mick Foley, saying he would never wrestle the WWE Hall of Famer, only team with him. His comments come as a direct response to Foley naming Darby as his dream opponent if he ever came out of retirement.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown (Jon Alba), Darby explained that he views legends like Foley the same way he views Sting: as tag partners, not opponents.
I would never wrestle Mick. I would never wrestle against Mick. Would I team with him? Absolutely. I would team with him in a heartbeat. Just like I would never wrestle Sting. I would love to team with him. But that’s the thing for Mick to answer. What does he feel in his career that, if he would even need that, if there’s any questions unanswered?” Darby said.
He drew a line between Foley’s situation and the way Sting’s WWE run ended years ago, suggesting the deciding factor is whether Foley still has unanswered questions of his own.
I know for Sting, all those years ago, there were many questions unanswered about how his career ended and how it wasn’t on his own terms. Does Mick still have those questions as Sting did? That remains to be seen,” Darby added.
Mick Foley’s Interest In A Return
Foley, whose WWE deal ended, set the exchange in motion when he floated Darby as the opponent he would want if he stepped back into the ring. That coverage established the dream-match idea Darby is now waving off.
‘The Hardcore Legend’ has said he believes he has one more good match left in him, though whether he actually returns to the ring remains unclear.
You can read more on Foley’s original comments in our coverage of Mick Foley naming Darby Allin as his AEW dream opponent.
Darby remains active in AEW and on the independent scene. He is booked for 1 Fall Wrestling’s Summer Stage 2 on July 17, 2026, facing Kiran Grey in a no-disqualification match, as detailed in our report on Darby Allin’s booking in Atlanta for 1FW.